Four Foot-Stompin' Shape Note Tunes

These four Sacred Harp songs ('Fulfillment,' 'Praise God,' 'I'll Seek His Blessing,' 'Fairfield') exhibit some of the salient charactistics often associated with this type of singing: a minor mode, primitive-sounding harmonies, and a heavily accented, driving rhythm. Singers are fervent and enthusiastic, and often beat the rhythm with their hands, and sometimes, with feet!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Sacred
• Harp
• shape
• note
• singing
• Fairfield
• Blessing
• Praise
• God
• Fulfillment

[JackTheZipper12123]

Thank you so much for uploading this. I grew up hearing this kind of music and it's a great blessing to see it spread to youtube. God bless you sir, God bless you.

[PLBrayfield]

@JackTheZipper12123 You're welcome, and thank you!

[queballed]

This great. I just happen to be doing a class at school on Introduction to American Music. It has a great deal to say on Shape Note Singing. Very interesting.

[PLBrayfield]

@queballed Does 'doing a class' mean teaching, or taking, a class? Either way, you could do a lot of good research by browsing the many shape note/Sacred Harp songs posted on YouTube. But you knew that, didn't you? ;)

[glorifyyourname]

its beautiful and Id love to be present there, one fine day! try to sing along of course. I live in the Netherlands and we dont know this type of singing here... sadly... all the more excuse to go visit the lovely southern states asap :D

thanks for posting!

[PLBrayfield]

@glorifyyourname You would be most welcome! Sacred Harp singing is done all over the country, though you have to look in the right places. Last weekend I attended the Midwest Sacred Harp Convention in Chicago, for example. Some of the songs in this video were recorded in Goshen, Indiana, near the Michigan border and a long way from the south. Hope to see you at a singing somewhere, someday!

[jbraly]

Ill tell you why...

get a group of professional musicians in a room to do this and it sounds like crap. Get a group of rural southerners with no musical experience who just sing to God from their heart, and youll think Christ is coming in the next few minutes.

[american37]

I can't believe, old as I am and living in the US, that I had never ever even heard of this music style before I stumbled across it on YouTube yesterday.. It's great. I would go to church just to listen to this music.

[fightfairfightfair]

This is a great version of 'Fulfilment'. That song needs to be sung with speed and passion.

[tweepixie]

this is so beautiful :)

[libertasdon]

@jbraly I have no right or capacity based on experience or training to agree with your first sentence. But the clips of this music attest to the truth of the remainder of your comment. Therefore it is my privilege to give you a thumbs up.

[queballed]

@PLBrayfield

Ok let me rephrase. I am taking a class. It was very late and I my mind was more than a little numb from a long day. Oh, and yes there seems to be quite a bit of good reference material here.

[zendt66]

Your video was very well done (intros, lyrics, etc). The singing was enthusiastic and stirring. Thanks.